Vehicle system level performance targets are used to design and build new and desirable products, such as automobiles. The system level targets are determined based on the needs of both the customer and the corporation, as well as regulatory requirements. Typically, the targets are established in the early stages of a vehicle's inception. Once the system level targets are set, component level design objectives are determined. The process of determining component level design objectives from system level targets is called target cascading and is a major task in the design and building of a vehicle.
Typically, the component level design objectives are determined using existing physical test results and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) simulations. The prior art process requires engineers to make assumptions and judgment calls. Numerous iterations are required that involve running computer models, analyzing results, changing assumptions, and making trade-off's among multifunction attributes. The process is extremely time consuming and difficult due to the fact that there is typically insufficient useful information available to engineers during the early design stages. The engineers must rely on information from a previous design. Additionally, changing existing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models and running CAE simulations is extremely time consuming and not practical in the fast paced process of designing and building new products.
There is a need to reduce or eliminate the trial and error built into the current process for target cascading. It is desirable for an engineer to obtain the component level design objectives for given system level targets as directly as possible, i.e. without numerous trial and error iterations.